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Foothills Presbytery

South Carolina

Volunteers from First Presbyterian Church of Greer serving at Dunbar Child Development Center

Photo by Whitney Moss

W hen congregations make baptismal promises to love and nurture the children in their midst, that promise should extend to caring for and loving all of God’s children. First Presbyterian Church of Greer is finding joy and hope as we live out baptismal promises in our relationships with children and youth. We understand that mission means relationships—both in the congregation and in the community and beyond.

Our congregation offers love and care through a relationship with the boys of Georgia Beatie Cottage at Thornwell Home for Children in Clinton. Congregation members and Thornwell boys work together each December to decorate cookies and then deliver them to residents of the local Presbyterian retirement community. As they work side by side, the Thornwell boys show the children of our congregation what it means to be church.

More than 50 adults from our congregation volunteer at a local child development center at least 30 minutes every week during the school year to help four-year-olds acquire needed school-readiness skills. These volunteers (“Dunbar Buddies”) see that showing up makes a difference: the children’s test scores are improving, and they are learning their numbers and taking pride in being able to write their name! The program has since expanded to include Dunbar Backpack Buddies, in which church members bring in nonperishable food to fill backpacks for the weekend for students who might otherwise return with hungry tummies on Monday.

Let us pray

God our Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer, and friend: through Christ you demonstrate, in fullness, the depth of your love. May we reflect his compassion, which permeated all his actions, as we serve. Amen.